ISAAC JEFFERSON HOUSTON HOMESTEAD FILE
Contributed by Kim Mauney

HOMESTEAD

Receiver's Office, Dardanelle, Ark.
Nov. 29, 1904

Received of Isaac J. Houston the sum of Fourteen dollars, being the amount of fee and compensation of Register and Receiver for the entry of South 1/2 of North West 1/4 and North 1/2 of South West 1/4 of Section 15 in Township 3 N of Range 30 W, under Section No. 2290 Revised Statutes of the United States.

(Signed) John L. Chitwood, Receiver

NOTICE OF INTENTION TO MAKE PROOF

Department of the Interior
U.S. Land Office at Dardanelle, Arkansas
Oct. 5, 1908

I, Isaac J. Houston, of Hon, Scott County, Arkansas, who, on November 29th, 1904, made Homestead No. 24288 for S 1/2 NW 1/4 & N 1/2 SW 1/4 Sec. 15, Twp. 3 N, R. 30 W (160 acres), Section (15), Township (3), Range (30) W. 5th P. Meridian, hereby give notice of my intention to make Final Five Year Proof, to establish my claim to the land above described, before William A. Bates, County Judge of Scott County, Ark., at Waldron, Arkansas, on the 16th day of November, 1908, b y two of the following witnesses:
C.M. Plummer of Hon, Arkansas
J.W. Condry of Hon, Arkansas
Frank Seahorn of Hon, Arkansas
T.J. Nolan of Hon, Arkansas

(Signed) Isaac J. Houston

Dardanelle, Arkansas, Oct. 1908

Notice of the above intention to make proof will be published in the Advance Reporter, Waldron, Arkansas, for a period of six consecutive weeks, which I hereby designate as the newspaper published nearest the land above described.

(Signed) Joseph H. Battenfield, Register

NOTICE FOR PUBLICATION

Department of the Interior,
U.S. Land Office at Dardanelle, Arkansas
Oct. 5, 1908

Notice is hereby given that Isaac J. Houston, of Hon, Scott County, Arkansas, who, on November 29, 1904, made Homestead Entry No. 24288, for the S 1/2 NW 1/4 & N 1/2 SW 1/4 (160 acres) of Section 15, Township 3 N., Range 30 W., of the 5th Principle Meridian, has filed notice of intention to make Final five year Proof, to establish claim to the land above described, before William A. Bates, County Judge of Scott County, at Waldron, Arkansas on the 16th day of November A.D. 1908.

Claimant names as witnesses:
C.M. Plummer, of Hon, Scott County, Arkansas
J.W. Condry, of Hon, Scott County, Arkansas
Frank Seahorn, of Hon, Scott County, Arkansas
T.J. Nolan, of Hon, Scott County, Arkansas

Publish notice in the "Advance-Reporter," at Waldron, Arkansas.

(Signed) Joseph H. Battenfield, Register

AFFIDAVIT OF PUBLICATION

I, W.E. Baker, publisher of the Advance Reporter, published weekly at Waldron, Ark. do solemnly swear that a copy of the above notice, as per clipping attached, was published weekly in the regular and entire issue of said newspaper and not in any supplement thereof, for six consecutive issues, commencing with the issue dated Oct. 9, 1908, and ending with the issue dated Nov. 13, 1908.

(Signed) W.E. Baker

(Newspaper Clipping attached)

HOMESTEAD PROOF--TESTIMONY OF CLAIMANT

Note: Printed form; handwritten answers underlined.

Isaac J. Houston being called as a witness in his own behalf in support of homesteady entry No. 24288 for S 1/2 NW 1/4 & N 1/2 SW 1/4 Sec. 15 Twp. 3 N. R. 30 West testifies as follows:
Ques. 1. What is your name as you wish it to appear in your patent; age and post-office address?
Ans. Isaac J. Houston, 63 years, Hon, Ark.
Ques. 2. Are you a native-born citizen of the United States, and if so, in what State or Territory were you born?
Ans. Yes Sir Miss.
Ques. 3. Are you the identical person who made homestead entry No. 24288 at the Dardanelle, Ark. land office on the 29th day of November 1904 and what is the true description of the land now claimed by you?
Ans. Yes Sir I am. The above is a true description of the land claimed by me in this entry.
Ques. 4. When did you first establish actual residence on the land? State fully acts performed by you in this connection. When was your house built on the land and when did you commence permanent occupancy thereof as a place of abode? (Describe said house and other improvements placed on the land by you, giving total value thereof.)
Ans. July 1903. One three room Box house, porch, Smoke house, Barn, Orchard 175 trees, 14 acres of land in cultivation, valuation $300.00
Ques. 5. Of whom does your family consist; and have you and your family resided continuously on the land since first establishing residence thereon? (If unmarried state the fact.)
Ans. (1) Myself and wife. (2) Yes Sir, I have lived continuously on the place since establishing my residence.
Ques. 6. When and for what period or periods (giving dates) have you been absent from the homestead since making settlement, and for what purposes; and if temporarily absent, did your family reside upon and cultivate the land during such absence? If married woman, state whether the husband has unperfected homestead entry, and whether he has resided on this land with you.
Ans. None at any time for any purpose.
Ques. 7. How much of the land have you cultivated each season, and for how many seasons have you raised crops thereon? If used for grazing only, describe fencing, state number and kind of stock grazed, and by whom owned.
Ans. 7 acres each season for five years, and the 7 acres one season, cleared last year making in all 14 acres.
Ques. 8. Is your present claim within the limits of an incorporated town or selected site of a city or town, or used in any way for trade and business?
Ans. No Sir, it is not in a town.
Ques. 9. What is the character of the land? Is it timber, mountainous, prairie, grazing, or ordinary agricultural land? State its kind and quality and for what purpose it is most valuable.
Ans. Mountainous agricultural land.
Ques. 10. Are there any indications of coal, salines, or minerals of any kind on the land? (If so, describe what they are, and state whether the land is more valuable for agricultural than for mineral purposes.)
Ans. No Sir. Most valuable for agricultural purposes.
Ques. 11. Have you ever made any other homestead entry? (If so, describe the same.)
Ans. No Sir, none.
Ques. 12. Have you sold, conveyed, agreed to sell, or mortgaged any portion of the land; and if so, to whom and for what purpose?
Ans. No Sir I have not sold any of it.
Ques. 13. Have you any personal property of any kind elsewhere than on this claim? (If so describe the same, and state where the same is kept.)
Ans. No Sir, I live on the place and make it my home, have all my property there.
Ques. 14. Describe by legal subdivisions, or by number, kind of entry, and office where made, any other entry or filing (not mineral) made by you since August 30, 1890.
Ans. None of any kind.

(Signed) Isaac J. Houston


HOMESTEAD PROOF--TESTIMONY OF WITNESS

Note: Printed form; handwritten answers underlined.

J.W. Condry, being called as witness in support of the homestead entry of Isaac J. Houston for S 1/2 NW 1/4 & N 1/2 SW 1/4 Sec. 15, Twp. 3 N, R 30 W, testifies as follows:
Ques. 1. What is your name, age and post-office address?
Ans. J.W. Condry, 66 years old, Hon, Ark.
Ques. 2. Are you well acquainted with the claimant in this case and the land embraced in his claim?
Ans. Yes Sir, I am.
Ques. 3. Is said tract within the limits of an incorporated town or selected site of a city or town, or used in any way for trade or business?
Ans. No sir it is not.
Ques. 4. State specifically the character of this land--whether it is timber, prairie, grazing, farming, coal or mineral land.
Ans. Mountainous timbered agricultural land.
Ques. 5. When did claimant settle upon the homestead, and at what date did he establish actual residence thereon? (State fully facts upon which you base your answer.)
Ans. It was in the summer of 1903, about the month of July.
Ques. 6. Have claimant and family resided contiuously on the homestead since first establishing residence thereon? (If settler is unmarried state the fact.)
Ans. Yes sir, he has lived continuously on the land since establishing his residence.
Ques. 7. For what period or periods has the settler been absent from the land since making settlement, and for what purpose; and if temporarily absent, did claimant's family reside upon and cultivate the land during such absence?
Ans. None.
Ques. 8. How much of the homestead has the settler cultivated, and for how many seasons did he raise crops thereon? If used for grazing only, describe fencing, state number and kind of stock grazed and by whom owned.
Ans. He has cultivated 7 acres each season for 5 years, he cultivated 14 acres last year.
Ques. 9. What improvements are on the land, and what is their value?
Ans. One three room Box house, porch, Smoke house, Barn, Orchard, 14 acres in cultivation. Valuation $300.00.
Ques. 10. Are there any indications of coal, salines, or minerals of any kind on the homestead? (If so describe what they are, and state whether the land is more valuable for agricultural than for mineral purposes.)
Ans. No sir. Most valuable for agricultural purposes.
Ques. 11. Has the claimant mortgaged, sold, or contracted to sell any portion of said homestead?
Ans. No sir.
Ques. 12. Are you interested in this claim and do you think the settler has acted in entire good faith in perfecting this entry?
Ans. (1) No sir. (2) Yes sir, I do think he has acted in good faith in perfecting his entry.
Signed J.W. Condry
I hereby certify that the foregoing testimony was read to the witness before being subscribed and was sworn to before me this 16th day of November 1908 at my office at Waldron in Scott County, Arkansas.

(Signed) W.A. Bates, County Judge


FINAL AFFIDAVIT REQUIRED OF HOMESTEAD CLAIMANTS
Section 2291 of the Revised Statutes of the United States

Note: Printed form; handwritten parts underlined.

I, Isaac J. Houston, having made a homestead entry of the S 1/2 NW 1/4 & N 1/2 SW 1/4 Section NO. 15 in Township No. 3 N of Range No. 30 W subject to entry at Dardanelle, Arkansas under Section No. 2289 of the Revised Statutes of the United States, do now apply to perfect my claim therein by virtue of Section No. 2291 of the Revised Statutes of the United States, and for that purpose do solemnly swear that I am a native born citizen of the United States; that I have made actual settlement upon and have cultivated and resided upon said land since the 1 day of July, 1903 to the present time; that no part of said land has been alienated, except as provided in section 2288 of the Revised Statues, but that I am the sole bona fide owner as an actual settler; that I will bear true allegiance to the Government of the United States; and, further, that I have not heretofore perfected or abandoned an entry made under the homestead laws of the United States, except (blank).

(Signed) Isaac J. Houston

I, W.A. Bates, County Judge of Scott County Arkansas do hereby certify that the above affidavit was subscribed and sworn to before me this 16th day of November, 1908 at my office at Waldron in Scott County, Arkansas.

(Signed) W.A. Bates, County Judge


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